Last Great Cattle Drive, The

1988, 57 Minutes

The Last Great Cattle Drive pays tribute to the last of Australia’s drovers, as 1,200 head of cattle are driven from the Northern Territory to Queensland on a journey covering 2,000 kms and taking four months.

Australia’s last great cattle drive started in May 1988 with 1,200 head of cattle on a journey from Newcastle Waters in the Northern Territory and ended 2,000 km to the east in Longreach, Queensland the following September. This film is a celebration of the cattle drives that opened up the Territory and were a feature of outback life until the advent of road trains. A handful of drovers still operate today. One is Pic Willetts, boss drover on “The Last Great Cattle Drive”.

The Last Great Cattle Drive is a fascinating insight into the rugged characters that shaped modern Australia.

A Film Australia National Interest Program. © 2011 National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.